Discussion: Yikes! What happened?

Which course did you do?

Red middle and sprint, orange long.

I was going to intentionally DNF the go control on the middle red course in the hope that my splits wouldn't get published, but that turned out not to be necessary, and it wouldn't have worked anyhow.

I'm thinking that I simply can't map-read while running. Rogaines don't require it, so that's why I do ok there. Our local meets require it to some extent, but I think I rely heavily on my memory of the park layouts, and that's why I sometimes do ok there. In the sprint on Saturday I was 4-5 minutes behind guys who can't break 20 in a 5k. This shouldn't happen - the terrain was nearly all open parkland. I'm not sure how to develop this skill.

Practice, lots of practice. My eyesight is getting pretty crappy, had a lot of trouble reading the 1:15 in Syracuse - basically had to stop and remove my glasses to read the map. 1:10 is a bit better, I can read it at a jog, but not a full out run. Contacts are a bit better, but I can only read the map at arms length, not close for detail - in these cases I rely on a magnifier on my thumb compass (and not at any sort of speed)

Sprint maps I can read at a run thankfully, though I am one of those guys who only barely breaks 20min in a 5k (19:50 on a good day)

Carry an o map when you do longer (slower) runs and practice glancing at it and choosing routes for different legs. It can be any map, just to give you practice looking at it while you run.

And slow down a little! Get the navigation down (look for safe routes that aren't too far off the bee lime) and speed will follow.

I think my eyes are ok, at least...

Janet, I'll try your suggestion. I have heard this before, but it seemed strange.

Everything from here still applies:

http://www.attackpoint.org/discussionthread.jsp/me...

Still haven't ever gotten to run with a higher-level orienteer, except during one Billygoat.

Have you looked at Orienteering 1-2-3 lately (especially 2 and 3)?

Learning when to relocate is one of the hardest lessons to master, one that I'm still working on after 20 years. [That and recognizing that my brain fries on tough hill climbs and to actually stop when I reach the top.]